Ireland

‘Three years work gone to waste’: Turkeys, ducks and hens valued at €10,000 stolen in Co Galway

Gardaí from Tuam investigating disappearance of over 40 ‘top birds’ from farm in Corrandulla area last weekend

Michael Gilmore on his family's farm in Corrandulla, Go Galway

Olivia Kelleher
Fri Dec 16 2022 - 09:20

A transition year student is appealing for help after turkeys, ducks and hens valued at €10,000 were stolen from his family’s farm in Go Galway.

Michael Gilmore posted about the theft on the Corrandulla-based Gilmore’s Poultry Facebook page, saying that more than 40 of their top show and breeding stock were taken from sheds between 9pm last Friday and 6am last Saturday.

“Who ever it was knew birds as they took the best stock from every pen. Three years work gone to waste. We are now completely wiped out and back to scratch. (They even) took our Christmas turkeys,” the Coláiste Bhaile Chláir pupil said.

Some of the missing birds include modern game, call ducks, silkie hens, Christmas turkeys and muscovy ducks.

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Christmas motivation

Michael told The Irish Times that gardaí have visited the farm and are investigating the theft of the birds.

“If any of you see these birds for sale please notify us. We had this break in and it was about €10,000 worth,” he said. “It is hard to know (who would have done this.) What really motivated them I would think was taking the Christmas turkeys.

“Hopefully something comes from it (my appeal). Hopefully someone will return the birds but if not it might make them too hard to sell on if people know about it.”

Michael has vowed not to allow the incident to put him off farming.

“I think (farming) is for me. I will probably have another job going beside it but I will keep going. I started the poultry business three years ago. It is all my business. I also have a pumpkin patch called Michael’s Pumpkin Patch. Thousands of people have come to that.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tuam Garda station on (093) 70840.

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